PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN, S. S. U. 65 

OF THE 

AMERICAN AMBULANCE 

FIELD SERVICE 



'^SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE" 

personal letters of 

reginald noel sullivan, s. s. u. 65 

of'the 

american ambulance 

field service 



PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 

1917 



FOREWORD 

MR. REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN, 
of the American Ambulance Field Serv- 
ice, has written entertainingly from France. 
His letters were addressed to his aunt, Miss 
Mary Louise Phelan, with the request that 
they be passed around among a circle of five 
or six relatives and friends, who were deeply 
interested not only in his career as a member 
of the Field Service, but in his daily doings and 
his reflections upon current events. As there 
has been a request from many sources to read 
these letters I have seen fit to have them 
printed for private circulation, without the 
knowledge of the writer and with the inten- 
tion of sending copies to his personal friends 
as a Christmas souvenir. They may also have 
some value as a picture of a peace-loving 
young American interested more in saving 
than in taking life — yet impelled by a high 
sense of duty to enlist. 

J. D. P. 



San Francisco, December 5, 1917. 



Gin 



J/^.jWr-JB-/;^^^, 



^ FEi 26 I9f8 



PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN, S. S. U. 65 

OF THE 

AMERICAN AMBULANCE 

FIELD SERVICE 

American Field Service in France 
21 Rue Raynouard, PARIS 



Training Camp for Ambulance Men. 
August 21, 1917. 
Dearest Everyone: — 
This will have to be a joint letter to you all * * * 

THE voyage 
Of course there is so much to tell that I really don't know where 
to begin, but as I wrote all of you news up to date from the 
steamer and sent cables to most of you on my arrival, I will begin 
with news of a week ago Sunday night. It was then we had the 
concert on board at which twelve hundred dollars was collected 
for the French wounded. I was responsible for fifty dollars of it 
in an unusual way. As I wrote you I was expected to sing, which 
I did (the Magic Flute Aria and "I Love You Truly," by request) 
and also played various accompaniments in my fashion ! At about 
the end of the program, one of the men who had promised to play 
declined to do so, but offered fifty dollars to the cause if I would 
sing a verse of "All Through the Night!" You may imagine how 
delighted I was to do it and how I regretted, at least for the sake 
of the wounded, who were to profit, that someone else didn't offer 
another amount for the second verse! The boat was depressingly 
dark those last nights! From the start we had been used to having 
no light on deck, but when the same thing was tried indoors, it 
seemed as if we had all lost our sight. All day Monday everyone 
spent their time looking for submarines and many were really 
disappointed that none materialized. As a matter of fact our rear 
gun fired on what it thought was an U-boat once, but what really 



2 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

was a barrel. I spent all day Monday and most of Tuesday writing. 
Ships were being sighted right along and the excitement was in- 
tense. About two o'clock in the afternoon the long expected 
convoy came along. It was composed of a dirigible and a torpedo 
destroyer, and with this escort we sighted land and entered the 
river, an eighty-mile sail along which carried us into the Bordeaux 
harbor. 

BORDEAUX 

It was around eight-thirty when we docked there. The usual 
confusion regarding baggage took place on board, and I must say 
I was sorry to speak French on that occasion. Interpreting was 
probably a useful, but not a very agreeable task. An especially 
chartered street car brought us from the boat to the train and 
all the way we sang, principally the Marseillaise and the Star 
Spangled Banner. It was indescribably wonderful to be in "la belle 
France" once more!! We had to run from our car to the train and 
found ourselves assigned to third class carriages for the night's run 
to Paris. Most of the crowd were highly resentful and their atti- 
tude of expecting all sorts of consideration at this time was very 
amusing to me. There was a French "poilu" who was returning 
from his "permission," in the car with us. He told us much of life 
in the trenches and the effect of talking with a man who has lived 
under these terrible conditions for three years, and still is, is very 
different from anything we experience in America when talking 
to representatives that come from this side. And now I have 
something perfectly awful to tell you!! Why is it that just this 
sort of thing always happens to me? Just as we were all enjoying 
some of the "poilu's" lunch, and sharing with him some of ours, I 
suddenly thought of my passport! When I felt for it, it was not 
in my pocket where I had last put it while on the boat ! Of course 
we all hunted high and low and nowhere was it to be found. It 
must have been lost at one of three places, either when we were 
getting off the boat in that terrible crush, or when we had to run 
for the train or at the station of Libourne where we got off and 
where I remember stooping over to drink some water. As yet I 
don't know what has happened to it but I have a firm conviction 
it will turn up. Even worse than the loss of the passport is the 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 3 

loss of my letter of credit (on which I of course immediately 
stopped payment on getting to Paris) and some very valuable 
letters of introduction, Bidden had been good enough to give me. 
In the event of not hearing soon that they have been found I will 
write and ask for duplicates. There were several other things in 
the envelope, such as baggage checks and photographs and papers 
of identification that the Field Service wanted, but all had either 
to be replaced or done without. I can't begin to tell you how 
thoroughly upset I was by the whole affair! Fancy being in a 
warring country without a passport! None knew better than I 
the horror of it ! And I had wanted so much to fill all the require- 
ments of the service in the quietest way possible, too. Instead, 
as you may imagine, I was very conspicuous and had to spend 
most of my time in Paris trying to explain how I had met with this 
loss, and doing all in my power to replace it! Needless to say I 
didn't sleep a wink that night. 

PARIS 

The dawn in France was lovely beyond words! It seems to me 
no one realizes the beauty of the French country! We came up 
through Angouleme, Tours, Orleans, and finally arrived at about 
nine-thirty A. M. at the quai D'Orsay in Paris. Paris, citede joieU! 
Strange as it may seem I wasn't in the least thrilled at getting 
there. It seemed as if I had just left there, and the drive out to 
the Rue Raynouard had the familiarity of something seen the day 
before. Our quarters out there are really magnificent. The house 
is old and spacious, and there must be about ten acres of ground 
running clear down to the Seine. Temporary sheds or barracks 
have been built in the garden and it is there the men sleep. I went 
at once to the Embassy and reported my loss. They wanted to 
make a search before issuing a new passport and so telegraphed 
the chef de gave and also the Consul at Bordeaux. I am sure it will 
be found somehow and I'm sure we would know now only that 
everything is so slow here on account of war conditions. I had 
several other commissions to attend to and that day had my first 
of ambulance driver's rations. We are given tin mess kits, con- 
taining two tin plates, a cup, a knife, fork and spoon. Lunch con- 
sisted of meat, potatoes, bread, water and a peach. (I was too 



4 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

excited then to sigh for the St. Francis!) After lunch there was 
roll call, drill and a sort of conference with the new comers. Then it 
was my turn to take one of the men to the doctor and explain to 
him what the French doctor had said on the boat (this is just one 
of the disadvantages of speaking French). After that, though, I 

was free and having telephoned Mrs. earlier in the day, 

called at her hotel. The accompanist was there and so I had the 
wonderful pleasure of hearing her sing. Her improvement is 
simply extraordinary and the possibilities of her voice are really 
orchestral. Late in the afternoon I went down to the cafe de la 
Paix and it was hard to believe there was really a war. Paris is far 
more beautiful than ever, if a bit more serious. I have not seen 
any mutiles, and the number in mourning does not seem very 
great. Women are working everywhere, on the street cars and in 
the railway stations. There, they carry the baggage just as the 
facteurs used to and I assure you they do it with a grace and 
efl&ciency that ought to make men feel ashamed. They seem to 
resent men wanting to help them, and it made me wonder if this 
war might not bring about an absolute freeing of woman. There 
is little else to remind one of the war, save the two meatless days a 
week, the two sugarless or tealess ones, and the five hot-waterless 
ones, for now only on Saturday and Sunday is it possible to have 
hot water for bathing. Transportation is a lot easier than I had 
expected, and all of the theatres seem to be open. Paul met us 
at LaRue for dinner, at which he was host. We had had dinner, or 
rather lunch there, my last day in Paris three years ago, and now 
that I was back those three years seemed just like a dream. Paul 
has just been reforme after fifteen months in Ann Morgan's hos- 
pital at Versailles. "After dark" Paris is relatively dark compared 
with what it used to be, but it is in no way depressing. 

The next day, we were told at the Rue Raynouard, that we 
would be expected to start out to camp the day after. I would 
have done anything to linger in Paris a few days, but it was im- 
possible. All Thursday morning went to the headquarters getting 
equipment and baggage in readiness and in the afternoon I started 
out to make some calls. I found Alexandre away at the sea-shore 
en permission, with his family. He is now automobilist and con- 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 5 

sequently in considerably less danger than before. Dieu en soit 
hue! To my great joy and surprise I found Girouard at home on a 
twenty-four hour permission. Quelle delicatesse! He looks wonder- 
fully, and has been right in the heavy fighting from the start. At 
present he is near Rheims. It was the first time I had had the 
pleasure of meeting his mother, who is a very charming French 
woman. From there I went to see Paul who has taken an atelier 
on the Rue Pontoise. He has the finest view of Paris that I have 
ever seen or can possibly imagine. It is right on the Seine back of 
Notre Dame. Kelly had asked me for tea, so I had to hurry there. 
His place is superb, too, and he has it most charmingly arranged. 
He expects to leave for America very shortly, in fact waited over 
to see me. We went to dinner together at one of those little 
garden restaurants in which Paris abounds, out on the Rue de la 
Pompe. I had forgotten to mention the war bread, which 
is one other thing that keeps us always reminded of the times 
in which we live. It is impossible to get white bread of any 
sort. This kind resembles more our whole wheat bread, and 
evidently means a saving in wheat. The taste is quite agreeable. 
I had hoped to get in to see the Andres and Sister Marie Pia, 
Friday morning, but I was kept so busy, between the embassy, the 
gare D'Orsay, and the Rue Raynouard, that I didn't have time for 
anything. I will write them though from here, and will see them 
on my return to Paris, in a few weeks. 

AT THE FRONT 

We left Paris on Friday afternoon, August 24, at six P. M. and 
arrived where we are, about forty kilometers northeast of Paris, 
at eight-thirty. We are really delightfully located" here in an old 
flour mill, just adjoining a typical farm house. The country is 
lovely as only French country can be, and we are allowed a great 
deal of liberty in between hours. Coming out on the train there 
were several German prisoners on board. I had a chance to talk 
with some of them at one of the stations. They looked very tired 
and seemed glad to have been taken. There was also on the train 
a French soldier of only twenty-one, who had gone mad as the 
result of a gas attack. It seems this gas does very often affect the 
sanity of those inhaling it. 



6 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

The regime of the day here is as follows : We get up at six ! ! ! Roll 
call at six-thirty, breakfast at seven. At eight o'clock we drill 
until ten. From ten to eleven-thirty we have driving practice. 
Lunch is at eleven-thirty, and we have driving again at one o'clock 
until three. From four to five we drill again, and then there is 
free time until dinner at six-thirty, after which we are free until 
nine-thirty, when everyone must be in bed. So far getting up has 
not been very hard, but I would appreciate some of you in Cali- 
fornia thinldng of me at ten P. M. when my day here is just be- 
ginning. The meals are wholesome and good enough. I remember 
wanting to taste of the hardship prisoners and soldiers endured and 
my wish has been granted. We are in the open air so much of the 
time that everyone has a great appetite for food and sleep, and 
there is much more to be had of the latter. I have often thought 
of my complaints against the meals at college. I have learned 
much since then. Drill has not been nearly as hard here as it 
promised to be on the boat. We have two French officers to com- 
mand us, and all the French ask is a little good will. Their con- 
sideration is really wonderful, and their attitude makes every- 
thing easy. In regard to driving, we have some gear shift cars and 
other Fords. I have had lessons on both, and have done fairly well 
though I certainly have sighed for my dear "N. S." with its won- 
derfully responsive engine. Our free time is spent in various ways. 
One afternoon we went swimming, and there are several towns at 
a distance of a few kilometers that we are free to visit. The near- 
by farm house is very popular, as eggs and confitures can be 
ordered there. Sunday was a free day, and almost all of us attended 
the late Mass at the nearest church, which is a building of the 
fifteenth century. It was thrilling to hear that French congrega- 
tion, in answering the prayers for the dead, say "Et, pardonnez nous 
nos offences, comme nous pardonnons a ceux, " etc., and to realize 
all it had to mean to each one of them. In September, 1914, just 
about three years ago now, the Germans came all through this 
part. In fact it was from here they made the retreat of the Mame. 
Sunday we visited trenches and a dug-out for observation that 
they had built, and judging from the perfection of the workman- 
ship displayed therein, it is little wonder the Allies have had such 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 7 

trouble dislodging them from more permanent entrenchments. 
Of course this country rings with tales of loot and murder per- 
petrated by them, but there is little evident damage. In fact I 
must say again at times it is hard to believe there is a war at all ! 
We are about thirty miles from the front, but we have been able 
to hear quite distinctly at times the cannonading and bombard- 
ment; in fact, as I write the guns are hammering away. Is it not 
unbelievable? To think that I only left you all three weeks ago, 
and that now I am here ! The heavy bombardment always causes 
rain it seems, and we have had some heavy down-pours which has 
made it hard in the primitive surroundings. (Aunt Ma, try and 
picture "Beau Lieu" en route to Lourdes in the rain and you will 
have a picture of this place) . Our beds are warm and comfortable, 
and we are all getting used to the flies and mosquitoes and rats — 
not red ones, however, and not too numerous. 

One other Californian and myself are the only ones of our crowd 
who are here, though there are about forty ambulance drivers. 
The others all preferred to drive trucks for ammunition and the 
like, and so we parted Friday morning. They are in a camp a 
little way up here near Soissons. I miss the Wilson brothers about 
whom I wrote you all, more than anyone else, and next to them 
Cosmo Morgan. The Wilsons are still in Paris, so I will see them 
on my return. The young fellow who is here is named Ricks; he 
was one of Diddens' friends in the northern part of California. 
Ward developed a terrible toothache on the boat and was obliged 
to stay a week in Paris having it doctored. The other young 
fellow who was ill, was obliged to go home at once. 

There are several regiments "au repos" (resting) around here. 
I have talked with many of the men and almost all are hopeful that 
the war will soon be over. They say in the recent attacks they 
have encountered boys of 15 and 16 principally, and many men 
over 50. Some of them say it is up to America to do what she 
can next spring. I wonder if it will ever come to that! Surely 
everyone must be dead tired of the whole thing by now. 

Our plans here are indefinite. There is no set time for the 
course. Some go through quickly and it takes others a long time. 
Everyone then goes to Paris, and some are kept there driving 



8 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

ambulances, and others are sent out nearer the front. But where- 
ever it is there is very little danger, so please don't worry about me. 
Only rest assured that I miss you all very very much and I am 
nearer homesick than I have ever been before. I'm sure though 
the work and regularity and even the promptitude are going to do 
me a lot of good in every way, and every one here tells me I look 
stronger and better each day. I had forgotten to mention the 
drivers themselves. Most of them are a fine set of men and very 
easy to get along with. It makes me wonder why I had such hard 
luck at school, and if it is that now I have changed ! I have been 
writing this seated on my bed. There is a piano in the room which 
is played or pounded all during our free time. I only mention 
this by way of apology for the many mistakes I have made in 
writing. There have been many interruptions too, but next time 
I will try to do better. I intend to send a letter like this once each 
week and hope it won't be too long in reaching you. 

With very best love and assuring you that my thoughts are 
with you always. 

Ever your devoted, 

Noel. 

P. S. — I had forgotten to mention the aeroplanes which have 
gotten to be so nmnerous since the war. The sky around here is at 
times almost encmnbered with them and no one pays any atten- 
tion to them at all any more. 

This organization has up to the present been a part of the French 
Government, but I understand that now it is to be federalized and 
taken over by the American Government. This will mean among 
other things that each man has a chance to be an officer and every 
man will be salaried. I am really quite excited at the prospect of 
earning something! 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 9 

Sunday, September 2, 1917. 
Dearest Everyone: — 

Here it is Sunday again, and as I intend to write you each week 
on this day, at least when it is possible, I must start my letter 
though there isn't very much news. It was four weeks yesterday 
since we left San Francisco, and three weeks today since we sailed 
from New York, and the whole thing has happened so suddenly, 
it seems to me at times as if I had died and were transferred to 
some other planet, for everything is very strange and new here, 
and I have been entirely out of touch with the world heretofore 
known to me for the last ten days! Some of the men received 
letters last week, dated from New York as late as the fourteenth 
of August, so I don't suppose I'll have to wait very much longer 
for news. We don't even get the newspapers here and it makes 
one feel very "eloigne." I hope you will all return good for evil, 
and write to me often. I assure you your letters will be most 
welcome! 

ENLISTS FOR THE WAR 

The week here, or at least the days since last I wrote you have 
passed very imeventfully. I think I mentioned in my last letter, 
at the very end that there was much talk of the probabiUty of the 
U. S. Army taking over the Field Service, and it is now an accom- 
plished fact. Two U. S. officers arrived Tuesday afternoon, and 
made the proposition to us. A great many of the men wanted to 
enlist, and others hesitated for various reasons. As far as I was 
concerned I couldn't see that it mattered one way or the other, and 
the idea of earning a salary, no matter how small (it is $33.00 a 
month) appealed to me very much ! I passed the physical examination 
without any trouble at all, and I hope this will be reassuring news 
for those that think me delicate. As a matter of fact I wouldn't 
have minded being turned down for some reason or another, as I 
was as homesick as could be that particular day, and the duration 
of the war seemed in all probability a long period. Of course I 
told the officer who signed us up, just how I felt about war, and 
explained why I had chosen this branch of the service. He seemed 
to feel that my love for France and the French made up for all the 
other qualities in which I was wanting, and was willing to accept me 



10 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

into the medical department of the army, which in the last analysis 
is no different to what the Field Service stood for before. We 
have now exactly the same rank as the Allentown men, only with 
the additional honor of being the first men ever signed up in the 
American army on French territory. There is no possibility of 
our being used in any other branch of the army either. That 
point he made very clear, and we are enlisted just for the duration 
of the war, which corresponds exactly with our term of service with 
the other organization. (It is up to everyone who wants me home 
soon to pray for the war to end soon!) We are still to serve the 
French army exclusively, and nothing in connection with the way 
the service has heretofore been run, will be in any way altered. 

CAMP LIFE 

The week has passed pretty slowly in one way, though in another 
way it doesn't seem ten days since we came here. I don't think 
I realized before, how full my life was of variety and interest! 
Here there really isn't enough to do, and at home I never had time 
enough to do half of the things I wanted to do. And then, too, it is 
hard not being entirely free ! I never realized before what liberty 
must mean to the prisoner! It is of little wonder that he so often 
abuses it. I hope you won't think from all of this that I am in 
any way imhappy here, or that I regret having come, for it is 
quite the contrary. I am sure the experience will do me a lot of 
good, and I could not bear to be doing anything but helping 
France at this moment now that I see her real need. I wish 
someone would send me a copy of the Pope's peace message. 
Everyone here is talking of it, but as it must have been published 
while we were on the water, I haven't been able to get any record 
of it. 

In my last letter I wrote you of the day's routine. It has been 
the same this week, but I have had guard duty, which has kept me 
in quite a bit. One day our commanding officer made me take 
command of the men! (Fr. Perrin, ask Follie what she thinks 
happened!) It was the most terrible thing you can possibly 
imagine! All the commands are given in French here and a week 
ago I didn't know the first of them, even in English! I think per- 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 11 

haps Glad will appreciate better than anyone else what it was like. 
It has certainly increased my respect for orchestral leaders, who 
manage to guide and direct so many men through so many 
intricacies ! 

Some of us have walked to the nearby town almost every even- 
ing after supper (we have averaged about ten miles walking each 
day, counting march). The nights have been too lovely, with full 
moon — and the country is like what Verlaine might have written 
about, or Cadenasso described in pastel — ^not that I mean to com- 
pare them at all! — (only, of course, minus the mist that he usually 
insinuates into his pictures). It always seems so full of peace and 
calm that it is impossible to believe that within so few miles, men 
are killing each other!! It has been wonderfully interesting to talk 
to the soldiers who are resting in this little village to which we go, 
and if it keeps up much longer it will make a public speaker of me! 
I usually begin talking to one or two, but in no time a crowd comes 
around, and I feel the least I can do is to try and entertain them in 
some way or another. They regard me as a sort of curiosity com- 
ing from so far away, and ask lots of very amusing questions. 
They are mostly interested in American politics, and I hate to 
think of all the incorrect information I have unwittingly given 
them as to how the President is elected, etc.!! They are all lovely 
and simple, and far more gentle than one would think it possible 
for soldiers to be. There are a great many radicals among them, 
too. One, who could read English was a great admirer of Emma 
Goldman, and shook my hand very warmly when I told him I 
had met her. The world is small, is it not! I wish I could tell 
you just a few of the many interesting, and some terrible things 
they have told me ! ! One young fellow to whom I was talking was 
one of the eight alive out of a company of two hundred that made 
an attack at Verdun! Since the war began he has been wounded 
eight times. Another was telling me of a German prisoner who 
died from his wounds, shortly after being taken. He was the 
sixth son of his mother to die for the fatherland ! These wonderful 
soldiers seem to feel very little bitterness against their enemies, 
and all long for the war to cease! There are some terrible stories 
abroad of German abuses in this neighborhood. Most of the 



12 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

inhabitants left here at the time of the invasion, but the nuns, to 
whose convent (a hospital) we go for hot baths and who stayed 
through the time of occupation received the most courteous of 
treatment at the hands of the invaders. We heard the other day 
of an English officer, who seeing a wounded German hanging from 
the barbed-wire on "No Man's Land" stepped out under shrapnel 
fire, and carried him to the German trench. The German officer 
was so touched by this act of kindness that he took off the iron 
cross that he was wearing and pinned it on the Englishman! And 
the soldiers all tell us of exchanging cigarettes with Germans and 
of the existence of very friendly relations between the trenches! 

The hot baths which I referred to above as if they were very 
ordinary things, were as a matter of fact the event of the week. 
(I don't know why I should put all this in the plural for we only 
found the place Friday and had to give twenty-four hours' notice 
before we could get a bath, so that only allowed us time for one!) 
(Can you imagine what some of our friends would do here?) It was 
a wonderful treat I can assure you, as here the accommodation 
even for washing is very primitive, and the only attempted sub- 
stitute for bathing is in going for a swim in the stream, and few 
are brave enough to face the cold water and the mosquitoes! I 
hope all this doesn't sound as if I were complaining for I really 
don't mean to do that at all. I am sure this experience is going to 
be most useful to me always. How much I will appreciate a 
relatively soft bed when I next occupy one, no one can know!! 
Nor how good it will feel to lie between sheets with a pillow under 
my head and know that there is no possibility of waking up and 
finding a large gray rat crawling across the blankets!! 

(Monday morning). We had early dinner last night, at five 
o'clock, and afterwards all went over to "the nearby town" to hear 
the Military band concert which was very fine. Just after it some 
of us went into a Httle cafe for drinks and took seats around a 
large table. There were several places left vacant and after a few 
moments some of the black troops from Madagascar came in and 
took them. There was a Southerner at the table with us who was 
so incensed that he sprang up and ran out of the place. All of the 
French people who seem to have no understanding of that feeling 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 13 

against negroes thought he had suddenly gone mad ! I didn't try- 
to explain but said he had to be back at camp early, though 
inwardly I couldn't help wondering if that was the way we were 
going "to make the world safe for democracy!" These "Turcos" 
are extraordinary fighters it seems, and the Germans are very 
much afraid of them. They only use knives in battle and are 
absolutely fearless. Later last evening we went to a hall where 
several hundred soldiers were congregated and I sang for them 
my usual repertoire. "Obstination" which was the only French 
song I know without my notes, made a great hit, in fact, I have 
never been so applauded. It is wonderful to hear the French sing 
the Marseillaise! I don't know why it is that their patriotism 
makes an appeal to me and is comprehensible in a way that no 
other is. Their country seems to justify their loving her almost 
inordinately! 

Yesterday morning I went over to Mass early and waited for the 
"Grand Messe." It was unusually impressive as a "poilu" 
(soldier) priest said Mass and preached. The sermon was on the 
gospel of "Consider the Lilies of the Field" and though a non- 
militarist would have interpreted it very differently, this man's 
ideas were truly beautiful and appropriate. I am told that the 
priests are principally "hrancardiers" (stretcher bearers) in the 
French army, and doesn't it seem a very typical role for them? It is 
extremely perilous, you know, and yet they are able to give so 
much more than any one else could to the dying! There were 
many ui mourning in church yesterday and many tears were 
bemg shed on all sides. Just after the "Agnus Dei," the choir and 
Congregation started to sing "Parce, Domine, parce, populo tuo!" 
("Spare, Lord, spare thy people!") in the most pleading tone and 
I felt almost as if I were going to faint of shear emotion. It was a 
different church to the one I attended last Sunday and the num- 
ber of soldiers there added a something that one could only ex- 
perience in a warring country! 

Everythmg else has gone on just about the same. Today 
brought me a letter from Mr. Andre, and the other day one came 
from the American Embassy saying nothing had been heard from 
my lost envelope. But I have not given up hoping yet; things 



14 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

happen slowly in France at the present time. I will have to ask 
that this letter be sent around just as the last one was. Before 
the next I expect to get to Paris and there I can get the extra 
carbons. All or most of the men here are exceedingly nice and 
improve on acquaintance. (Fr. Perrin will be interested to know 
that one of them, a Bostonian, is a great friend of the Mr. Holmes 
whose article in the "Masses" we both liked so much. He is a 
Unitarian Minister it seems.) I think I told you that we have a 
piano here in the dormitory and my singing of "All Through the 
Night" has gotten to be a regular nightly institution before taps. 
I never smg it without thinking of all of you and wishing I were 
near you!!! The New York Herald of today quoted Wall street 
as predicting that war would be over in December and I suppose 
if Wall street wants it to end, it surely will. Heaven grant it 
anyhow! 

My very best love to all of you! 

Your ever devoted 
• Noel. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 15 

"Somewhere in France,'* 

September 9, 1917. 

Admission Day in California! 

CHANGING CAMPS 

Dearest Everyone: — 

There is much to tell you this time after my first days at the 
front and I only wish I were equal to it ! But it is hard to make a 
record of one's mood when it is constantly changing or of one's 
impressions when they are drowned in a sea of most intense 
emotion. 

Just after I had finished my letter to you last Monday I heard at 
the camp that several men were to be sent out the next day to a 
section of Gear shift cars, and a little later in the day was told 
that I was to be one of them. Five of us started off the next 
morning for Paris, only knowing that from there we would be 
directed how to get to our destination which was to be section 
sixty-five. I really felt very sorry to leave the camp for many of 
the men there were exceedingly nice and I had the feeling in going 
that I would often sigh for the peace and quiet of the place. I 
was glad however to be on my way to see some of the real things 
of the hour, and was glad, too, to have the moving take place just 
one month to the day after leaving home. 

It was a very tiresome trip into Paris. I was surprised to see we 
were as much as a hundred kilometers away, and to stand for that 
distance on a slow moving train is no particular fun. It was way 
after noon before we got up to the Rue Raynouard, and several 
hours passed before we could get away from there with the dis- 
concerting information that instead of having at least a few days 
in Paris as I had hoped, we would have to leave early the next 
morning for somewhere on the Aisne front! I realized right away 
that there was no time for any of the calls that I had hoped to 
make and I just managed to do a bit of necessary shopping before 
closing time. I am ashamed to confess to you how terribly good 
dinner tasted chez Henri that night even though it was a meatless 
and sugarless day in Paris ! It was wonderful, too, to renew my 
acquaintance with a real bed which I did at a very early hour in a 



16 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

little hotel out near the Etoile, though since coming here I can't 
help reproaching myself for having revived the memory. 

We all met at the Rue Raynouard early that next morning, that is 
the five of us, Carson Ricks from Cahfomia, a man from Honolulu, 
a man from Tennessee named Knowlton, who, by the way, more 
than a year ago, when himself a student at Cambridge, was asked 
by Mr. Maginnis to join his office force to do detail work for a 
convent in California. (I will refrain from the usual comment 
about the size of the world). The other member of our party 
besides myself, is a terrible bore from New York. (There is a man 
named Cauldwell here who was evidently the "sous chef" some 
little time ago. He has just left the section now but every thing 
that isn't just as it should be is blamed on to him. Things echo 
far some times, do they not?) The trip was evidently too long or 
the train accommodation too poor for us to make the trip in one 
day, so we broke it by stoppuig over at Chateau Thierry for the 
night. We arrived there at one-thirty in the afternoon and had the 
rest of the day to look over the town which is a very lovely one. 
There is a chateau there situated far above the town and ap- 
proached graded walk under shaded trees. The view of the valley 
from the summit is superb, as is the fifteenth century Gothic 
Cathedral of the town. Everything was quiet and dark after night- 
fall, the lines not being very far away, so we retired early again 
and started off at eight the next morning on another tiresome trip 
with many changes and waits and no seats, that brought us to a 
railway stop about ten kilometers from our ultimate destination. 
There we were met by a FIAT machine, the same sort as we use 
for ambulances, and, driving over, we each had our first lesson in 
running it. We reached the cantonment in a heavy rainstorm 
which didn't enhance the beauty of our surroundings. They are 
in fact very primitive, far more so than the last place we were at. 
Here there is a little farm house with three rooms downstairs, 
and a loft overhead where forty men eat and sleep. The kitchen 
where we go to get our food is in a small building adjoining. The 
food here is more plentiful and somewhat more varied than at 
our former camp and we sleep on stretchers which are not at all 
uncomfortable. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 17 

IN ACTION 

The first night I was here I was assigned to an ambulance which 
started out about eight o'clock for the "poste de seccoursJ" There 
are always two men on each car and the machines themselves are 
very good with demountable rims and every facility for saving 
time in case of a puncture or blow-out. In fact, there is a double 
tire on the back wheels which enables you to run with one tire 
flat until there is ample time to change it. Of course, at night we 
always drive without hghts and that is at first hard to get used to. 
Everyone said that it was unusually quiet as we drove up to the 
poste, and though I found it hard to beUeve then, I have since 
realized it was true. The poste itself is situated about five hundred 
yards from the last line of trenches, and the wounded, who are 
first tended there are carried here after the attack and when it is 
considered safe, and after their wounds are looked at again by the 
doctor in charge here, we bring them to the field hospitals from 
where, in turn, those seriously enough injured are evacuated to 
the base hospitals. We are about as safe as anyone could possibly 
be in service that is in any way active. We never "roll" (that is the 
word used here meaning "drive") until after the attack is over. 
The poste where we stay when on duty (there are several similar — 
I have only been to the one) is a subterranean cave quite like the 
Roman catacombs. It is brightly lit by electricity and is almost 
cozy. There are eight men from the French Red Cross always on 
duty and they received us with the hospitality one is accustomed 
to here in France. There was little action that night and no 
wounded were brought in imtil the next morning. I consequently 
managed to get quite a few hours of sleep without undressing, 
of course. Early that next morning they started carrying in the 
wounded and if any one ever doubted the truth of Sherman's defini- 
tion of war, it is surely not then ! There were two other cars here on 
duty that went out before mine, so I only had one "blesse" to carry 
to a hospital about five miles away. His skull was perforated with 
a shell but he was conscious and wonderfully brave. Some of 
them, they say, moan and cry, but he never uttered a sound! I 
assure you no one knows how badly he drives until he tries to 
carry a woimded man doucement and in as short a time as possible 



18 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

over these rough roads. We returned to the poste right after 
lunch (each man has forty-eight hours' duty and then forty-eight 
hours' rest, though during the latter he is always liable to be called 
for special work) and nothing eventful happened all afternoon. 
At about five, aviators from both sides started to make flights and 
each side m turn shelled the enemy air man. When French 
shrapnel explodes it makes a cloud of white smoke, whereas the 
German is always black. The men here who have been in the 
war from the start tell me that they have never seen an avion 
brought down in this way, so they regard the firing more as a 
sport than anything else. 

AN INTERLUDE 

From up here we have to walk about half a mile to where we 
have dinner. Returning from there I noticed a little sign saying 
"chapelle" with a cross above it, and going into the chapel, which 
was in a cave very like our poste, I found that they were just about 
to have Benediction. There was a Httle organ there, but no one 
to play it, so I volunteered, and stumbled through the service as 
best I could from memory, and the soldiers sang really thrillingly. 
Just in the midst of it the Germans opened an attack, and the 
French artillery, which is situated way back of us here, replied 
with great energy. It happened to be the First Friday, and the 
celebrant recited the litany of the S. H., but no one could hear him. 
The only thing I heard was the invocation "Desir des collines 
eternelles" and the vision it evoked, of the lovely watch tower at 
Carmel, named after it, seemed to be of an entirely different 
world! At the end everyone sang "Pitie, Mon Dieu, c'est pour la 
patrie!" (Glad used to sing it at Menlo) and presently the bom- 
bardment ceased, and we were able to leave our place of shelter. 

After dark, as is the custom, there was another artillery duel, 
both sides sending up much barrage fire, and for sheer spectacular 
magnificence, I cannot imagine anything more wonderful. Com- 
pared with it the volcano on Hawaii is almost commonplace! 
If only we could divorce it from the terrible intent back of it all, and 
from its probable result in dead and wounded ! One of the greatest 
tragedies of this whole war lies in the fact that no one thinks. 
Just yesterday I heard one of our drivers, over here to do a work 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 19 

of mercy, say that he hoped there would be lots of wounded to 
carry that day, because it was such a bore to sit around doing noth- 
ing! ! ! and, no one seemed to think he had wished for anything 
out of the ordinary! ! It is so pathetic to see how the French 
people yearn for peace ! They are really peace-loving, and want for 
nothing more ! Of course they have the highest possible hopes for 
America, though every German prisoner that is taken assures them 
that the Submarine is still mistress of the seas, and that it will be 
impossible for America to send either troops or ammunition. This 
is evidently what the German people are being told, and it may in 
some way account for their patience. 

Strange to say, after this apparently huge attack there were no 
wounded at all, and so, after a practically sleepless night, we drove 
back to the cantonment when another car came up to relieve us at 
nine o'clock. Then this ambulance had to be washed and oiled and 
gone over, before our forty-eight hours of work was done. There 
is fortunately a hot shower bath in the village that is at the dis- 
posal of our men, and it felt almost like home to be able to have one, 
get on fresh clothes, and look forward to spending a night undressed 
and in bed. I didn't linger very much getting there that evening 
I can assure you, and was just settling down for the night, when 
another big attack opened up, and orders were telephoned from 
headquarters for every man to be ready to "roll" on a moment's 
notice. We all dressed, and a little later the whistle blew warning 
everyone to wear his mask, as the Germans were using gas-bombs ! I 
forgot to tell you that as soon as we reached the cantonment we were 
given these, along with steel helmets, worn by all the "poilus" and 
with them in hand we waited for several hours, even after the attack 
had subsided. Most of the cars were called out, but not the one that 
I was on, so about one o'clock I lay down again and had a few hours' 
sleep. The next day in going about I would notice the remains of 
the gas. It is disgustingly sweet like over ripe fruit, and is very hard 
to treat because it affects almost every "asfixie" differently. 

The next day was Sunday, and I went to High Mass and Vespers, 
at the parish church of the village, which is just across the way 
from our farm house. It is very like a California mission, and is 
cruder architecturally than anything I have seen in France of 



20 PERSONAL LETTERS OP 

that period. The soldiers of the "chasseur" regiment that are now 
resting in our village sang the services all by heart. It was the 
first time I had attended Vespers in many years. The organist 
waited to play a little while after Vespers and I asked him if I 
might sing a bit. I had a few sacred songs with me, including the 
"Ave Maria" I sang the day Carmel was dedicated, and also 
"O Salutaris," and I have never found half as much real solace in 
singing as then. The organist who is an oiBicer here "en repos," 
wants me to sing Sunday, but I think we may have moved away 
by then ourselves. You see we are attached to one special army 
division. As long as they are in the trenches we serve them, and 
when they go "en repos" we follow them too. In this particular 
part of the line the French have advanced about a mile since the 
war began, and I am sure every inch of it has been dearly paid for. 

I am looking forward most eagerly to receiving letters from 
home, and hate to think that it is only about now that you are 
getting my steamer letters. It will be better though from now on, 
as each week will bring some word in each direction I hope. The 
men in this section all seem to be very nice, but were too imited 
before our arrival to welcome any new comers very cordially. 
In future I think mail will come more quickly if addressed to 
"S. S, U. 65., Convois autos, par B. C. M., Paris." They say, too, 
small packages may be sent in the same way, and if any of you 
would care about risking a small box of candy, it would be most 
welcome. Just now I can't imagine anything more acceptable 
than a peppermint lozenge! 

I will have to ask you to forward this letter as usual, for though 
I have the carbon paper I don't yet know how to use it. Please 
be indulgent with me, for I have to write under all sorts of diflS- 
culties, and with continual interruptions. Most of this has been 
typed sitting in my ambulance, and waiting for blesses up at the 
poste, with many Senegalian troops watching me, and making all 
sorts of comments. 

Sunday night, I was forgetting to tell you, I had a very good 
night's sleep and was able to undress, and last night though I was 
on call and couldn't undress, I was not disturbed once. We took 
some wounded to a hospital about fifteen miles from here late 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 21 

yesterday afternoon and there is my news up to date. Nothing 
else of any importance has happened. 

Please don't forget me, and every time you think of me please 
make the thought a prayer that peace may soon return to the 
world, and that it will remain forever. 

For myself I am well, and everyone who saw me in Paris thought 
that my week of hard work and mild fasting had done me a world 
of good. I know I can't but benefit by the experience, for previous- 
ly I never half appreciated what was given me, never realizing 
what the other side of the picture was like. You have all spoiled 
me, but I love you for it, and now I do want to show you, if I can, 
that I was worth it. Just think of me being in a place where 
money hardly has any value at all, and is difficult to spend! ! ! 
Now that I am really earning too ! ! ! You see every thing has its 
funny side, and the "poilus" certainly help us to see it. 

Before closing for this time I want to give you all a copy of a 
poem by the Hindu, Dhan Murkerji, which has said itself over and 
over again in my heart these last days. He addressefe it to the 
God in our own souls, and God to the Buddhist is feminine. Catho- 
lics, though, can give it a very devotional interpretation, addressing 
it to the Blessed Virgin. To me, it is one of the most beautiful 
things I know. 

"Arise, O Mother, lo dawns the day; 

Arise ! Dispel the shadows that seek to stay; 

Lead us from night to light — 

Lead us to peace pulsating and white; 

Arise, O Mother, with love and knowledge and might; 

Lead us from word into meaning; 

Lead us from wonders to new wonders of singing; 

Lead us from ingratitude to gratitude. 

From pain, to Thy beatitude; 

From sound, into soul's silence — solitude. 

Peace — peace — peace — 

As night falls asleep. 

Peace! Let thy silence rise — 

May silence speak." 
I am sorry to have written it down so badly, but at least you will 
know what is often in my thoughts, and the prayer, if not always 
so poetically expressed, that is ever in my heart. 
With devoted love, 

Always Yours, 

Noel. 



22 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

Still '^Somewhere in France," 
September 17, 1917. 

EXPERIENCES AT THE FRONT 

Dearest Everyone: — 

As I was late in sending off my letter of last week, I have not 
been in a particular hurry to get this one on its way for there hasn't 
been very much to write about in the past few days. I hope you 
have had word from me each week at least, and think that by send- 
ing letters the first part of the week they are pretty liable to have 
gotten by the censor and ready to go on their way across the ocean 
by the boat which leaves on Saturdays. I hope, too, that someone 
will keep the letters for me, as, with the exception of a very few 
lines which I try to write each day in my diary, they are the only 
record I will have of these days, and sometime they might be 
interesting to look over. They will be of particular interest as 
reference in the event of my ever learning how to spell or construct 
a grammatical sentence correctly! 

This last week has passed very quickly indeed — in fact, our forty- 
eight hour days (for that is the time from when we go on duty to 
when we come off) make it seem no time since last I wrote you. 
A great deal of that time has been spent up at the "poste de sec- 
cours," and there has been considerable night duty. You would 
all be proud of me though to see how readily I awake at the first 
word from the "brancardier," in fact I feel so much more ready to 
get up at two A. M. than at eight A. M., that I think when I go 
home I will have to make that my regular hour for rising! It is 
a lot more agreeable to be around the cantonment than up at the 
poste, for at the latter place we fare just as the French Army does, 
and I assure you it is nothing to boast of. In the morning we are 
just given a cup of black coffee and breakfast isn't served until 
eleven. The other day a horse was accidently killed by a French 
machine gun, and the butchers immediately took charge of his 
remains; the consequence being that everyone had a very generous 
helping of meat. (It was one of the Fridays on which I didn't 
mind in the least being a catholic, though the army, by the way, 
are all allowed to eat meat.) I mailed my last letter to you Tuesday 
afternoon (I was on duty then from Monday morning until Wed- 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 23 

nesday morning) and at two A. M. we had a call and a long drive 
in the starlight to one of the hospitals. During the next few days 
when I was off duty nothing of importance happened to me. I 
wrote many letters, so if you hear of people who haven't heard 
from me in years, receiving them, don't be surprised. I am deter- 
mined this time to pay all my debts in that regard and never allow 
them to accummulate again. Much as I loathe writing, it really 
takes too much of the joy out of life always to be owing letters and 
I never again want to have to face any such lists as have confronted 
me on the trip to Honolulu, and again since leaving San Fran- 
cisco. I have attended the Benediction services every evening at 
the church when I have been able to, and evidently the volume of 
my voice and my familiarity with the words of the liturgy and 
hymns attracted the attention of the organist, who happened to be 
an elderly officer of the regiment resting in our town. Wednesday 
morning he asked me to sing a duet with a tenor (an officer of the 
same regiment) on the Sunday following at Mass. The piece 
which he had was a ''Veni Creator" of Caesar Franc and one of 
the most beautiful sacred songs I have ever heard. I am terribly 
sorry not to have had it for the Dedication of Carmel. At any 
rate we had several very good rehearsals, and some most inter- 
esting musical talks (this officer knew Wagner when he was in 
Paris in the early sixties); but Saturday night his regiment was 
called away so we never had the opportunity to render the duet 
in public. 

A WOUNDED MAN 

Friday morning I went on duty again and was on the go almost 
constantly until Sunday. In that time I went to a number of new 
pastes I had not seen before and am gradually becoming familiar 
with the country. The last run I made was Sunday morning at 
one-thirty, and the man, or one of them, that I carried had been 
terribly wounded and was in frightful pain. His hip, I believe, 
had been dislocated and the leg fractured, besides being wounded 
in many other places. The roads we were obliged to travel were 
very rough, and the darkness made it almost impossible to 
miss the ruts. Of course he cried and moaned most pathetically 
the entire way, and I was nearly beside myself. I think (in spite 



24 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

of my claiming to have sweat blood at my bankers occasionally) 
I was really never as near it before in all my life; and when we 
reached the hospital my arms and shoulders were almost paralyzed 
from trying to hold the machine steady on the road. Before they 
took my patient out of the ambulance, I told him how my heart 
had bled at the sound of his cries, and how diligently, if futilely, I 
had tried to drive carefully. I will never forget his answer, for 
my concern seemed really to touch him — "Ce 71' est pas contre vous 
cher cammarade que je cri, mais contre cette guerre!" I have not 
been to the hospital where I left him since, so don't know his fate, 
but I can't help hoping that his soul has found peace in some 
world that knows nothing of war! 

One of the men of this section saw the Cathedral of Rheims the 
other day and gave a most encouraging account of its appearance. 
Only about one-fifth of the rose window, according to him, was 
broken, and the general effect of the building on all but one side 
was very good. Some of the French soldiers who came in from the 
first line trenches in this vicinity the other day told of the Ger- 
mans putting up a sign on their side with the announcement on it 
that there was civil war in Russia and that the end of the war was 
at hand. I am wondering if that means that they have just now 
learned of the revolution last March, or if it is some announcement 
of a similar occurrence in Germany. Would to Heaven that it 
were! For the French, certainly, all the novelty of war has worn 
away, and at best, in and out of the trenches, it is just unspeakable 
boredom and monotony. They expect great things of America 
and look forward to the day when our troops take their place in 
the trenches. Many of the uneducated "poilus" seem to feel that 
then they can return to their homes! From what I have heard 
around here of the French and German artilleries, the former is 
far superior and is infinitely more generous with its shells. An 
oflScer was telling us the other day that they have orders to fire on 
the Germans six times for each time that they fire. The afternoon 
activity of aviators is the most evident break in the monotony of 
the day. Yesterday (Sunday) there were dozens of air men and 
many observation balloons (the French call them "saucices") up 
from both sides, and as soon as a German machine would fly over 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 25 

this way, the French would signal by means of a bugle call, so 
that everyone would seek shelter in the "abris." It seems the idea 
is not to let the Germans know how many people are in the 
neighborhood, or where they are located for it would be the cus- 
tom of our unfriendly neighbor to shell that place immediately 
were he to make the discovery. I suppose the same thing applies 
on the other side too. 

A LITTLE CHILD 

There is a little child, I think four years old, in the village 
where we are. There are very few civilians there and only two or 
three women, and this little one has a few companions of about 
the same age. She, however, is strangely precocious and seems 
really to have a grasp of the situation. She was practically bom 
and has spent all her life within sound of the cannon's roar, and 
has seen more wounded men probably than any other kind. Her 
only toys are old gas masks and bits of shrapnel, and it is the most 
tragic thing in the world to see this somber little figure walking 
about alone, thoroughly distressed by the whole situation. Like 
almost all children, she is frightened to death of me, but some of 
the soldiers who have talked with her, tell me that she says all 
the time "Quel drole de monde" as if she had a distmct remembrance 
of some more peaceful habitation. 

By degrees I am becoming better acquainted with the men in 
the section and learning all sorts of interesting things about it 
and them. It is divided against itself ,in the strangest sort of way, 
and has two distinct parties in it. At first I wasn't in any sense 
aware of this and thought everyone very united. The section has 
already been cited and has received the "croix de guerre" for 
valor. It seems however that there are some pathological cowards 
in its midst who simply refuse to run any risks at all, and when 
they are asked to, go to work and put their cars out of commission 
in the most obvious way possible. In a few days, though, the entire 
section is going to be changed and placed on another part of the 
line. A number of the men are returning home and others are 
going into other branches of the service, and we are to have Ford 
cars instead of Fiats. I only relish the change, because, in moving, 
we may pass through Paris and have a few days there. 



26 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

In the course of this letter I was interrupted and had to come 
from the cantonment up to the poste. Here I have been enter- 
taining the "hrancardiers" (one of them is a priest) on the subject 
of Christian Science. It was the first time any one of them heard 
of the sect (that would be "the most unkindest cut of all" to 
Scientists!) and their mirth is great in figuring out what a C. S. 
denying the existence of matter would do by the side of a "Boche" 
high explosive ! 

Just now as I write there is great excitement. The French 
machine guns have brought down two German aeroplanes that 
were flying very low over the trenches. Had I not been writing 
(or using my machine gun, as the Senegalise call this "Corona") 
I would have seen it, but I can't say I am sorry. I only hope the 
"Boche" is not hurt, but simply taken prisoner. 

It is getting rather dark and I find it hard to see, so will close 
for this time. It is interesting after dark to watch them tele- 
graphing by means of light signals. The code changes constantly, 
but tonight one of the drivers who can read the Morris system, 
claims to be able to read the messages. 

The only news I have forgotten to tell you is that the food was 
better this week than last, and we have discovered the Aisne to be 
a wonderful place to bathe in the warm sunlight. 

I think of you all always and my dearest wish is that you are 

all well. 

With very best love, 

Yours devoted 

Noel. 

P. S. — I hope nothing I have said regarding some of the men in 
the section will give anyone reason to believe they are all by any 
means that way. There are a great number that are really cour- 
ageous and take their work as a very serious vocation, and though 
none of them interest me particularly as personalities, they have 
all been very friendly to me. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 27 

"Somewhere else in France'^ 

September B4, 1917. 

WASTEFUL ORGANIZATION 

Dearest Everyone: — 

Here another week has rolled by since I last wrote you, and it is 
again very hard to realize it, though much has happened and there 
is much to tell. I think I finished that last letter at the "poste," 
where I stayed all night, coming back to the cantonment the next 
morning without carrying any wounded. We were then given 
formal notice of what had been rumored about for the days prev- 
ious, that we were to go au repos via Paris where our section 
would be reorganized and where we were to be equipped with 
new cars (FORDS),* and that we would leave the next day (Wed- 
nesday) at six A. M. 

All day Tuesday was spent packing up and getting ready to 
leave, and you have no idea how much there is to do in connection 
with moving. It has certainly cast a new light on war, as an 
organization, as far as I am concerned, and so I will tell you a few 
of the details of our section, which is after all but an atom in this 
universe of war! At that time we had forty-four drivers, a section- 
chef and sous-chef, a lieutenant, a corporal and a sergeant out of 
the French army. Three cooks and three mechanics also drawn 
from the ranks (we have now only twenty-two drivers, as on the 
Ford there is only one man, but the rest of the personnel remains 
the same, only in addition to that, there is a member of the quar- 
termaster's department that I forgot to mention). Of course 
everything had to be moved, and the cantonment left in absolute 
readiness for the incoming section, and I assure you it was not an 
easy job. Moreover the machines, which were to be turned in 
the next day had to be completely washed and cleaned, so you 
may imagine Tuesday was not the idlest day of my life ! Through 
it all, and through all I saw the next day I couldn't help but think 
what a waste of energy from beginning to end this war is! Since 
we are capable of the marvelous organization of which we are giv- 
ing evidence every day, why can't we use it in some other direction? 
Why not try to abolish some of the crying poverty we all so 
complacently behold, or enforce care of the sick that are dying for 



28 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

want of treatment? Ideal organization, unattractive as it is, 
could make of this world somethiag so different to what it is, and 
I suppose the only reason why it does not, is because its inspiration 
must be cupidity, which is not excited by the sight of the poor or of 
the sick! The next morning we were called at four-thirty, and at 
six o'clock sharp (wont it be terrible if I really become prompt?) 
our long con vols of autos started off in procession. I am free to 
tell you now we had been on a pretty dangerous front near the 
"chemin des dames" which is famiUar to everyone following the 
"comuniques" in the newspapers, and no one was sorry to get 
away from it. We drove for many hours through beautiful country, 
beautiful as only France can be in the early morning, and about eleven 
reached Chatillons which commands a superb view of the river and 
valley of the Mame. It is httle wonder, naturally speaking that 
France rejoiced so, in driving the enemy out of this particular 
part of her country which is so typically hers. I suppose it is 
about as fertile as any land on earth, and its lovely villages that 
seem to nestle on every hillside are such a striking contrast to 
those one sees immediately on crossing to Germany. Just a few 
days ago the victory of the Mame was celebrated all through this 
country and particularly at Meaux. Chatillons must have been 
famous in crusade days, for now a huge statue of one of the 
popes of those times dominates the city. We wem't allowed to 
stop there at all, but simply left our cars at the "pare" and then 
were driven across the river to a little town where all our baggage 
was brought, and where we were served lunch before making the 
two-thirty train to Paris. 

RETURN TO PARIS 

A three-hour trip brought us there into the gare de L'Est, and 
I need not tell you how my heart sang as we drove out to Passy! 
Arriving in Paris is always so wonderful to me. It is just like 
having been at school and coming home for the holidays! At the 
Rue Raynouard I found some mail that I will answer separately, 
and from there I went down to "the Chinese umbrella" (a restau- 
rant [American] just back of the hotel Meurice) taking with me one 
of the Wilsons who came over on the boat with us, but who has 
stayed in Paris douig mechanical work. He had seen Ward Barron 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 29 

that day who said he was retummg to America, and it seems 
Cosmo Morgan has already gone to be attached to Pershing's 
"home staff." Austin Tubbs expects to go back shortly too, 
so California will not have many representatives here! I feel 
that since I wrote so much about human cupidity on the other 
page, I must be honest enough to own up that is not the only 
disenchanting thing I have encountered over here, and of the other 
I myself am guilty. It had seemed to me as I watched the wounded 
carried in up at the ^'poste" and Ustened to their cries, that I could 
surely never again enjoy the sensuous things of life. I was per- 
fectly sincere at the time, but within the very week I found my- 
self looking forward to sleeping and feasting in Paris, and you 
can't imagine how wonderfully this particular meal tasted. Eggs, 
com bread, sweet potatoes, rice, flannel cakes, melon and even 
tea, which I had not had since leaving San Francisco! ! That 
night I slept at the Grand hotel (I had lived at almost every other 
hotel in Paris !) and the next morning was out at the Rue Raynouard 
for nine o'clock roll call. We had to stay around there most of the 
day, being assigned our cars and getting them in readiness to start 
off the next morning. I managed to call up Mrs. Tiffany, who was 
not at home, and went to the Rue Cortambert, for a few minutes 
where I had almost an hour's visit with Sister Marie Pia, (Miss 
Peyton). The nuns had just gone on retreat, but they very kindly 
allowed her to come and speak with me. Her nephew Bernard 
Peyion is also in the Ambulance service, and, had I only known it, 
was in the section just a few miles from ours at our last post. The 
Chapel of the Servantes has acquired a wonderful atmosphere since 
the war, and anyone doubting the real beauty and utility of the 
contemplative life, ought to go as I did from the battle front 
there. Thank God there are in the world, at the present time, at 
least a few who have given up their lives, in an unqualified way 
to the worship of infinite Peace and Beauty and Harmony! There 
are surely enough of others whose adoration or its equivalent goes 
in another direction, and this war is the proof! 

napoleon's tomb — THE OPERA COMIQUE 

Later that afternoon I stole an hour without asking anyone and 
took the Wilson brothers to see Napoleon's tomb and Notre Dame, 



30 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

ending up at the ONE cafe de la Paix! ! These boys have been m 
Paris now over four weeks, and hadn't seen a single thing that was 
worth while, so as they had a few hours off Thursday I was deter- 
mined to at least start them in the right direction. The Invalides 
is more wonderful than ever, and always seems to me to be the 
last word of tribute to the French sense of perfect taste. Imagine 
the tombs that other nations might have built for their heroes! 
Germany for instance! ! The court as you enter is now crowded 
with all sorts of war trophies, taken from the enemy in the last 
three years. Inspecting them closely gave me further proof of 
the mad' waste of energy in war! Any one of the smaller pieces 
of artillery (and there are thousands on every side in this conflict) 
would, if its cost were differently invested maintain at least one 
bed in perpetuity in any hospital! ! Every shell that is fired, many 
of which luckily bury themselves in the ground doing no damage, 
were its price invested in food, would feed a starving family for 
months. I wondered as I looked around me at the Invalides if 
America was really so much to be congratulated on her sub- 
scription to the liberty bonds! ! And I couldn't help wondering 
too, if the German Emperor really was inspired to start this war 
in imitation of Napoleon's career; how terrible must be the anguish 
of that great hero, as he looks down on this world and sees it 
suffering still through the example he had given! ! Notre Dame 
was never lovelier than that afternoon in the misty rain, and its rose 
window seems to have grown more beautiful, as the French people 
say, mourning for her sister in Rheims. The book sellers are still 
all along the Seine and that part of Paris is entirely unchanged. 
As usual, everyone in the world was at the cafe de la Paix, and I 
would love to have lingered there, but had to hurry back to the 
Rue Raynouard, for orders for the next day. There I learned that 
we must report for roll call at five-thirty A. M., and leave Paris an 
hour later, on the day following. I am sure you all know how con- 
stantly dear Madame Andre was in my mind when in Paris, and 
the fact that she was no longer there left a very big void. I had 
written Mr. Andre since reaching France, and much as I dreaded 
seeing all the family, I didn't want to be in Paris again without 
paying my respects. I managed therefore to call at the Rue des 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 31 

Entrepreneurs Thursday evening about eight o'clock, and had a 
very nice visit with Madame Andre's two sisters and her aged 
mother. She is more missed than you can possibly imagine; in 
fact, we were all so near tears that none of us dared mention her 
name. Mr. Andre is very hard worked at the present time and 
seldom gets home, but I will see him next time I am in Paris. 
From there I went to the Opera Comique where they were giving a 
performance of "Madame Butterfly." It was the first music 
I had heard since the last Philharmonic concert in San Francisco, 
which seems like a prehistoric event, (so much has happened since) 
and I can't begin to tell you how affecting the whole thing was. 
It was beautifully rendered; the "Butterfly" being like a real 
flower, and the fact that I was back again at the Opera Comique 
— such wonderful memories — quite overcame me and had it not 
been that everyone around was sobbing, so that I was unnoticed, I 
would certainly have had to leave. I spent that night again at the 
Grand, but got to the Rue Raynouard very early the next morning 
by means of the metro. We started from there almost on time and 
drove for many hours. 

ON THE MARCH 

Getting out of Paris was rather difficult for the machines were 
new and stopped readily and were then very difficult to crank. 
I had one puncture to repair on the road, and also an exhaust pipe 
to mend, and now I feel myself quite well able to run a Ford as well 
as a Cadillac! We stopped for lunch at a little town called St. 
Jean and reached the place where we had left our baggage two days 
before, by six o'clock. That was almost a twelve-hour run, but 
in convoy you have necessarily to go slowly. There are only 
about ten of the men including myself, who are with us now that 
were at the "chemin des dames". The others have just come over. 
They are mostly from Syracuse, N. Y., and seem to be a nice set. 
Mechanically speaking I am quite in their ken, and it is a great refief 
to hear such questions as "what do you do to stop it?" asked 
instead of the usual dissertations I am accustomed to hear about 
transmissions, differentials and compression ! ! As we reached the 
town where we were to stop the night, one of the new men said he 
wasn't feeling very well, and asked to be shown his room. Con- 



32 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

sidering that as a matter of fact, one's room is the place one finds 
to put his stretcher either in or out-of-doors — the request was rather 
inopportune — and showed that this young fellow had many shocks 
in store for him. So far, though, he has taken them all very well. 
That night I had a lovely sleep right out in the open and under the 
stars, I was as comfortable as could be, having recently purchased 
a goat-skin lined sleeping bag which is very warm. 

The next day we drove over to this little village of Ronchere, 
where we will be au repos probably for a week or more. It is a 
very small place, but charmingly located and as restful as can be. 
The weather is wonderful too, and we eat out-of-doors. The change 
and the fact that we can but seldom, and then only faintly hear 
the sound of the guns, will do us all good, I think, for life near the 
front is at best terribly unnerving. The war has only been carried 
on with such success as it has been owing to the fact that the men 
are given rests away from the front every month or so, otherwise 
they would go mad. Most of the men here are sleeping in their 
cars, as the cantonment is very small and ill-equipped, but for 
once I acted promptly and engaged a little room in a village 
farmer's house. It costs me one franc a day, and though it is all 
that at another time I might have scorned, it is now the height of 
luxury, and even has a great deal of charm. My prayer is that I 
won't be suddenly dislodged to accommodate some officer that 
may be passing through, but I was obliged to take it subject to 
that condition. Sunday I walked to a little town called Frennes 
about three miles away to attend the "Grand Messe" and the rest 
of the day passed very uneventfully. Today I was on the ''fatigue 
squad" and had to help peel potatoes, wash around the kitchen and 
make myself generally useful to the mechanics and cooks. Four of 
us have this duty every day, and I don't know if my inability to 
enthuse about it indicates that the royalist or aristocrat is not yet 
extinct in me, or whether it simply is that I am lazy as usual! ! 

This is all my news up to date, so you see I am well and busy and 
as happy as the times will allow; Heaven grant that when the 
Reichstag convenes as it does September 26, it will offer an ac- 
ceptable peace, or, in other words, simply peace. 

I love you all most dearly, and my thoughts are ever with you. 

Devotedly, Noel. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 33 

"Somewhere in France," 

October 2, 1917 

HOME AND OTHER SICKNESS 

Dearest Everyone: — 

It seems almost impossible to believe that a whole week has 
passed since writing to you, for though the days have gone by 
quickly enough, I had the feeling that being "au repos" with 
comparatively little to do, it would take a long time for seven of 
them to roll by. My last letter was from the village of Roncheres, 
and when I wrote it I had no idea how soon we were to leave there. 
Word came Monday night for us to move on, but I didn't hear of 
it until the next morning and then began the usual packing up, 
with as much work and trouble as if we had stopped many months. 
I believe in my last letter I told you about our moving, with 
kitchen, work-shop, and all carried in trucks from one place to 
the other and so it was this time. That particular day I happened 
to be feeling wretchedly, and would have done anything to have 
remained in the little room I had found, the comfort of which I 
had not begun to appreciate until I was obliged to leave it. My 
indisposition was just slight, the probable result of the sudden 
change of diet occasioned by my visit to Paris, and it only lasted 
twenty-four hours. There is no background quite so ideal though, 
for an attack of homesickness, which came and held me in its 
throes for most of the week. The drive over here was much the 
same as all of our others had been, but my thoughts were all of 
trips in Shamrock, Didden's car and Glad's Renault, made through 
the same sort of country. This town which we reached after 
driving about two hours, is smaller than the other and had no 
accommodation in the way of rooms to rent, or stores where 
delicacies might be purchased — all of these things are decided 
tragedies to the sick man, and so I felt very forlorn. I no doubt 
looked so too, for the men here were all most kind to me. This 
attention was very touching I assure you, coming from those who 
seem to think that efficiency in caring for the wounded comes by 
hardening one's self to all suffering. The next day found me feeling 
much better, and the day after that entirely well, and now I am 
even over my homesickness to a certain extent at least, and eager to 



34 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

get every thing possible out of this great experience. Just on our 
arrival here that first night I learned that Section 66 had been 
here before us and was leaving the next morning. Knowing that 
Bernard Peyton was among them, I made an effort to see him, and 
had a few minutes chat with him. He is a good looking young 
fellow with delightful manners, and it was very nice to meet 
anyone associated with California. 1 couldn't help wondering, 
though, how he felt about the Dupont industry, and was glad we 
didn't have more time in which to discuss the ethics of war! 

A SERMON 

This week has been the quietest and most uneventful since I 
have been in France and I have done little else but write and walk 
and think. There are so few to talk to and there is so little to talk 
about, but certainly that doesn't apply to thinking, and I am 
profoundly thankful for my love of solitude and contentment in 
loneliness!! The nights have been beautiful with full moon again, 
and the country around is a terrestrial paradise, removed as it is 
from the sound of the cannon's roar. I don't mean by what I have 
said of being alone that there is no one to talk to, for quite a num- 
ber of the men are unusually interesting, but somehow with them 
I am usually on the defensive about something, and so I like to 
get away by myself. In connection with our arguments I must say 
that I have been wonderfully happy in being able to hold my own 
and uphold my point of view, better than I have in a long time. 
I have complained to so many of you recently of losing sight of 
my own ideas when brought face to face with those of another 
more fluently expressed, and that is why I am reporting this change 
to you. And I must add this for Florence's benefit, that being the 
only catholic here, I have seen the church from the outside as it 
•were, and agree perfectly that that is one of the great ways to 
learn to appreciate her. Florence would hear herself very often 
quoted in my defenses of Catholicism, and when I find myself 
embarrassed to answer some criticism, I just say, "Of course you 
don't know the first thing about which you are talking" and it is 
usually pretty true. Our discussions are always friendly though, 
and the wonderful impression made by the "aumoniers" or Chap- 
lains at the front on all the men without exception, makes them 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 35 

sympathetic to the work of the church in the present war. I 
wonder if any of you have read ''God the Invisible King" by 
H. G. Wells, in which he presents the claim of a finite God of almost 
human limitations, and powerless to change world conditions. 
This book has been read and accepted by almost every man in the 
section, and is our continual bone of contention. Speaking of 
Wells, I wonder too if any of you have read the New Republic of 
September first. There is a really worth while article in it by him 
on the attitude of the allies toward peace. He explains the German 
people clinging to their government just as the man on a run- 
away horse clings to it when the wolves pursue. The attitude 
with which the Papal note was received was almost wolfish I think, 
and though the French papers have been bitterly resentful and 
denounced it as pro-German, the French people understand it is 
only human. Why have peace if there are only a few maimed 
embittered people left to enjoy it? I don't think anyone who has 
tasted of the horrors of war would have replied to it as President 
Wilson did. What a lot of announcements there have been this 
last week. The Bernsdorff intrigue in Washington, and the Bolo 
Pasha in Paris, seem shocking, but it does seem so like England to 
implicate poor Ireland now, in order to excuse her own disgraceful 
conduct of April, 1916, and get out of doing for Ireland what she 
intends having other powers do for the small nations of the earth. 
In this same New Republic there is a very wonderful article by 
John Dewey on "Conscription of Opinion." We all had great hopes 
for the opening of the Reichstag, and were horribly disappointed 
in the Utile promise there was of peace in Michaelis' arrogant 
message. Undoubtedly they are making a great bluff now, 
and soon we may expect to hear a more conciliatory tone. 
Some really pessimistic and entirely frank French soldiers have 
told us that the difference between the way the Germans fight 
now and fought last year is most striking. They think the German 
troops realize the end is near, and are as anxious to save as many 
lives (Germans) and as much ammunition as possible. Many of 
them think, too, that Germany is too smart to fight America, for 
if she does the war will have to last at least two years, and casual- 
ties in the American Army will take away from Germany her one 



36 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

possible client after the war. This might bring about a very 
early peace, if only the allies won't be unreasonable. Undoubtedly 
all nations have learned their lesson by now and the next offensive 
war will surely come from some nation not involved in this present 
one. I have thought so often lately of how few people really 
pray for peace. They desire it in a passing way, and all the pray- 
ing they do consists in saying, "I wish this old war would stop." 
If numbers would only unite in making prayers for peace, a 
work of the day, it would surely come. When one thinks of the 
power that scientific research admits there is in prayer, and not 
viewing it from the religious aspect at all, it seems to be a real 
duty for all of us. I know myself how Uttle thought I gave it from 
this point of view, before coming over here, and yet I was more 
concerned than most people, but when one sees every day hundreds 
and hundreds of men going up to the trenches to be slaughtered, 
in all probability, like cattle, in fact even more cruelly, one thinks 
that it is about time to try and reach the hearts of the tyrants 
back of all of this by some other means more potent than powder. 
(I seem always to manage to give you a weekly sermon, do I not?) 
By now you must all know of the shocking death of young Mac- 
Monagle. I have been really sick over it, thinking of that poor 
mother crossing the ocean, and receiving that news on her arrival 
here, and it is only one case out of, I suppose, thousands. I wonder 
which is greater, national honor or mother love? Surely the 
mothers ought to decide that. 

There are many of the men who claim to be intuitive that say 
they feel the proximity of peace, but considering how certain I 
felt about its coming in August, 1915, I am afraid ever again to 
venture an opinion. Conditions are better in France all the time. 
We are having white bread again now, and the meatless days in 
the big cities are to be abohshed. 

Since last writing you I have been on duty two days (from Satur- 
day to Monday) doing hospital evacuation work in a town about 
ten miles from here. We wait at a poste there for calls to the differ- 
ent hospitals, and the patients we carry are always convalescent, 
so the work is much more agreeable. It was a very nice change to 
have these two days off by myself, and free from even the little 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 37 

discipline that is enforced around here. I have been sleeping in 
my ambulance "No. 12," which is very comfortable, and as all my 
belongings are in it, it seems like a house on wheels. The engine 
will go better when it has run a little farther, and is very easy to 
care for. It was interesting to meet new people in this other town, 
and I ran into a soldier there who at one time when he had been 
a traveling salesman had visited San Francisco. That was in 
1905. He seemed hke a long lost brother. Another one there, 
also a "chasseur," had made the campaign into Alsace at the out- 
break of the war, and had fought in the taking of Mulhouse, the 
city which had always remained faithful to France. He told 
thrillingly of how the people, men and women, came out to welcome 
them, and notwithstanding the shell fire insisted on bringing them 
drink and refreshment. If any war could be inspiring, that cer- 
tainly would be the sort, when men were not obliged to live like 
rats as they are now, but fought in the open, and had some means 
of individual expression. There was a very impressive Mass for 
the dead of this particular regiment Saturday morning, just after 
I got there, and the next afternoon there was a fete of some sort 
resembling our church picnics, with just those same games of blind 
man's race, etc., and it was good and yet infinitely pathetic to see 
how the men enjoyed it! I had only one hospital call in all the 
time I was there and that took me about two hours to do. 

TOWN BOMBED 

That night, a nearby town was raided by German aviators, and 
bombs dropped killing four persons. The bombs fell right between 
the hospital and the railway station. Let us hope they were aiming 
for the latter. There was of course great excitement over the 
whole countryside, and as many search-lights as we used to have 
at the exposition were playing on the heavens in quest of the avia- 
tor who was invisible in the moonlight. We are near a lovely 
town here called Mont Notre Dame, with an old church situated 
on the hill above it which reminded me very much of Monte 
Casino. Formerly when we were near the lines, we were right by 
the plateau de la Californie. Strange — was it not? Our plans as 
usual are indefinite and we may be here some time. I was forget- 
ting to tell you that at this last place where I spent Saturday and 



38 PERSONAL LETTERS OP 

Sunday, I was given the most delicious of breakfasts by one of 
the villagers. Nothing could have been more like home. It is 
wonderful to come in touch with the people this way. They and 
the "poilus" are really worth while. Apropos of "poilus" I am 
letting my beard grow, so that soon I will be quite like one. It is 
ten days today since I shaved, and though I guess the worst of it 
is over, I am still glad that none of you are here to see me. 

I have at last managed to use a carbon, so it won't be necessary 
to send this East unless to Bidden if he isn't yet in Cahfornia. 

I will now say good-bye with most loving messages to all of you! 
If the war does nothing else for me it is really deepening my 
emotions, and teaching me each day how very dear you all are to 
me. 

Nine years ago today Carmel arrived in California. What a 
wonderfully happy day that was — one of the happiest of my life. 
And nothing now makes me happier than to think of the beautiful 
convent in Santa Clara. Heaven grant that we may all celebrate 
her tenth anniversary in a world of peace and forgiveness! 

It is dark now and I can hardly see, so must stop. 

Your ever devoted 

Noel. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 39 

October 9th, 1917. 

CALIFORNIANS REUNITED 

Dearest Everyone: — 

It is hard to believe that yet another week has passed since last 
writing to you for we have been "au repos" and very little of 
interest one way or the other has happened. Since last Thursday 
(today is Tuesday) we have been stationed in the little village from 
which I wrote you two weeks ago, and I have been fortunate 
enough to find my little one franc room vacant again and to be 
welcomed back to it by the hospitable old "patronne." We surely 
seem to do a lot of apparently useless moving which always in- 
volves such a lot of work, and so it was this time when we came 
back here from the other quarters which we had just about man- 
aged to make comfortable after our week's sojourn there. 

I got my letter off to you last Tuesday, the next day was spent 
writing (surely, if coming over here accomplishes nothing else 
for me than giving me the chance to write letters and make out 
my accounts, etc., it will not have been useless). That night 
having heard that there was a camp of camion drivers of the Field 
Service about three miles away, I walked over there in the hope of 
finding some of the men that had come over at the same time that 
I did. I was just about to retrace my steps, being able to find no 
trace of them, when I happened to make a last inquiry of an officer 
who informed me that some Californians had come there within 
the last hour. With some little difficulty I located them and 
found Doud of Monterey and Austin Tubbs to be among the 
newcomers. LaMontague was there also but I didn't see him. 
Well, such a tale of woe as I heard from these men, it would take 
me many hours to repeat ! They have really had a very hard deal 
of it and looked worn out with hard work. The trucks are fear- 
fully heavy to drive and they were often kept waiting for eight 
and nine hours in ammunition parks with nothing at all to do, 
waiting for them to be loaded. None of these had signed up in the 
army, and were waiting to be let out of the service, though there 
was no certainty as to when that would be. I feel I was wonder- 
fully fortunate to have insisted on getting into this branch of the 
service, when so much pressure was brought to bear in favor of 



40 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

the other. Tubbs was a friend of young MacMonagle and seemed 
to feel very badly over his death. It seems though that Mrs. 
MacMonagle was not crossing the ocean at the time, as the Herald 
had stated, but had been in Paris for the last six months so as to 
be near her son. This makes it a little less awful, though even 
as it is, it is surely bad enough. 

HIS comrade's heroism 

News has also undoubtedly reached you of the unhappy fate of 
two of the men in this section. One of them, Carson Ricks of 
Eureka, California, was seriously wounded by a shell which burst 
near his car as he was driving wounded men to the hospital. He 
is making a very good recovery, although he will probably never 
again have the use of his left arm; but his driving companion, a 
Chicago man, died as the result of his injuries, and three out of the 
four wounded that they were carrying, were instantly killed. This 
all happened on September thirteenth. Ricks' conduct was really 
heroic and he showed great presence of mind running to the near- 
est farm house for help. On the way he fell several times from 
weakness and eventually fainted from loss of blood. Both men 
were given the "Croix de guerre" and certainly merited it. Ricks 
had the additional distinction of being the first man in the Ameri- 
can army to be wounded in this great war. His companion had 
not signed up expecting to return to America within the next few 
weeks. 

Our drive over here the next day was a cold and windy one, in 
fact, the bad weather seems to have started in and we have had 
much rain and cold. It would be impossible though for me to be 
more comfortable than I am here in my cozy little room, and in 
this town there is an inn where at almost any time we can get a hot 
cup of chocolate. There is really exceedingly little to tell about 
this week for nothing out of the ordinary has happened. We have 
all had to do considerable work on our cars (can you imagine me?) 
and I have had one day of "fatigue" duty. Sunday I walked over 
to a nearby village to Mass, as there are no priests in this town, 
and there, the soldiers not being used to our uniform, reported my 
presence to the captain. He sent a man for me just as I was leaving 
the church and for a moment I thought the same sort of thing that 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 41 

happened in Germany three years ago, was going to be my experi- 
ence again, but this time I was in the hands of a Frenchman and a 
gentleman, and it didn't take very long to convince him that I 
wasn't a spy. Saturday afternoon we drove over to the hospital 
where Ricks is being cared for. He has made a wonderful recovery 
and was to be moved to Paris the next day. The men in the sec- 
tion improve very much on acquaintance and there are some that 
have a good deal of personality and charm. Since the wet weather 
has started, we have had regular afternoon teas prepared by them, 
and I believe they are to be kept up as a section institution. In- 
deed it is not we that should be pitied at all, but the poor fellows 
in the trenches. Last night there was a very heavy bombardment, 
which we could hear but faintly, but it filled me with hor- 
ror thinking of the poor soldiers and all it might possibly be 
meaning to them. The people in whose house I am sta3dng are 
firm believers in spiritualism and get all their information from 
table tapping, which they resort to quite regularly. They claim 
that it has never failed them, and now it tells them that the war 
will be over in February. Sometimes the tone of the newspapers 
seems very encouraging, particularly within the last week. It 
seems, too, that there are more "ifs" in every statement Germany 
makes regarding peace or the terms thereof. I wonder though 
what Mr. Hoover is doing, allowing the prices of food to mount in 
America as they evidently are. It seems to be a great surprise and 
disappointment to the French people who think us capable of 
feeding all of the Allies without feeling it ourselves. Before I 
forget it, any time that any of you have magazines or newspapers 
they would be very gratefully received over here, were you to care 
to send them. Reading matter is at a premium in this section and 
anything in the way of news from America is always most accept- 
able. I have meant to mention that if you ever receive a 
cable, obviously from me, signed by someone else or with another 
name besides my own signed to it, you will understand that it is 
impossible to dispatch it from here, and that I have had to 
send the message into Paris by mail. The cable address that will 
always reach any man in this service is "AMERFIELD PARIS" 
in case any of you ever want to use it. I can't tell you how hungry 



42 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

I am for some recent news from home. The mails are so terribly- 
slow and my last letters from California were mailed there before 
the end of August. It took over twenty-five days for my 
steamer letter to go from Bordeaux to New York, so that gives 
you an idea. I suppose I should be the last person on earth to 
complain of not getting letters, nor do I, knowing too well that 
none of you would treat me as I deserve to be treated. It is only 
the law of compensation that is keeping me waiting, and I'm sure 
the next steamer that arrives will put an end to that! 

Today the section chef told me that I would have to shave off 
my eighteen -day growth of beard which is just beginning to be 
becoming, adding that "enlisted men were not allowed to wear 
them," so tomorrow I will cease to be a "poilu" at least as far as 
the outward appearances are concerned. I am very well other- 
wise and anxious to be back on duty. This sort of hfe seems too 
much hke an incumbrance to the country in these times. My 
French has been very fluent of late — ^it seems to have taken it just 
so long to loosen up as it were — and many of the soldiers with whom 
I have talked think I ought to try to be an interpreter. I hke this 
work so well that I would much rather not think of changing for 
the present at least and certainly hope I will see the end of the 
war in it. The greatest deprivation it has to offer, besides keeping 
me so far away from you all, lies in the fact that I never get near 
to a piano and have no chance to sing. But that would be the 
same in every branch of the service, I imagine. 

Though we have been in the Army more than a month now, there 
has been no sign of pay day as yet, but perhaps the next time I 
write I will have that to tell about. I certainly hope the next 
letter will be more interesting than this one! 

My best love always to you all ! 

Your ever devoted 

Noel. 

P.S.— On Sunday all the clocks in France were turned back an hour 
so as to make use of the daylight and economize fuel for lighting 
purposes. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 43 

October 16, 1917. 
{Three months since CarmeVs Dedication) 

VILLAGE LIFE 

Dearest Everyone: — 

This time there is certainly very little to write about, for we are 
still au repos and in the same place as we were when I wrote you 
last. The weather has been very cold and wet and a gale has blown 
most of the time, so that we have had something of a taste of what 
the suffering of the men in the trenches must be during the winters. 
I, as you know, have been fortunate enough to have my little 
room, not the same one however as I had last week, but one 
upstairs, where I was put to give place to an officer doctor, and the 
moving was one of the events of the week! This little room is 
less comfortable in some ways but commands a beautiful view of 
the valley, which means much, as I spend a lot of time within 
these four walls. The doctor, who is now living below me, is a very 
charming French Algerian, and we have had many good talks 
together and he has told me much of interest about his country 
and other things. My landlord and landlady have been more 
hospitable too since the cold weather has started and have insisted 
on my sharing their log fire in the evenings (which do not last very 
long — I am always in bed shortly after eight, getting almost 
eleven hours' sleep, breakfast being at seven) and it is interesting 
in a way to hear them talk with no other thoughts in the world 
but for their son who is at the war, and the activities of their farm, 
which ten years ago would have been most absorbing to me! In 
this part of the country the people speak a very peculiar, and 
almost at times, unrecognizable French. The store keeper in this 
little town was busy making waffles when I dropped in there the 
other evening, and when I happened to express surprise at seeing 
them in France, saying that they were a favorite dish of mine, 
they insisted that I return at dinner time and have some. This 
was Friday and doubly acceptable on that account! They served 
me very generously and would not hear of accepting pay, so since 
then in order to return the politeness I have been a regular patron 
of the store ! Letters have come too since last I wrote, and though 
the news was over a month old, at least that from California, it 



44 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

was nevertheless infinitely welcome. I have often read descrip- 
tions of the arrival of the mails at the front, but no one has any 
idea what it is until one has seen it. For the few moments that 
letters are being distributed and read, the bleak surroundings of 
the cantonment seem to disappear and are temporarily replaced 
by scenes of lands and places far from this war area! So please, 
remembering this, don't treat me as I deserve to be treated, and 
write often, so that the beautiful surroundings of your lives may 
frequently be reflected in these parts. Pay day has come and gone 
too in the last week! It was singularly uneventful except for the 
fact that I carried off from the "pay-wagon" two hundred francs 
and fifty centimes — that was up to October first. I must say it 
was well earned, and I am going to keep it for the purpose of buying 
some lasting souvenirs for those who have reason to regret I was 
so slow in earning my FIRST PAY! 

Last Thursday I took a long walk (over twelve kilometers each 
way, and "en plus" I lost my way) to a nearby fairly large sized 
town. There I was photographed "en poilu" before having my 
beard shaved off (I will send the pictures when I receive them) and 
managed to have a very good, really French dinner at the Hotel 
before starting back on my long walk, which brought me here 
about nine o'clock. Sunday I walked to the usual nearer town to 
Mass. Saturday I was on the "kitchen squad" and most of the 
rest of the time has been spent walking and writing. 

GERMAN PRISONERS 

Another event of the week, and I can't imagine how I came so 
near forgetting it, was the arrival of some sixty German prisoners 
who are being lodged in this town and are working near here. I 
doubt, if, relatively speaking, the arrival of Joffre caused any more 
excitement in New York than the coming of these poor indi- 
viduals. This town has a Town-cryer — can you imagine such a 
thing? — and it was he who prepared us for the event. (The only 
other time he has made an announcement within the last week 
it had something to do with the muzzling of dogs) . The prisoners 
are really very well treated — I mean for prisoners — their fare 
comparing favorably with what convicts get in "the land of the 
free." Each day they have a certain task to accompUsh, and are 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 45 

paid for any extra work they do. Their mail and packages come 
through Switzerland twice a month. They are really a very in- 
ferior looking class of men, and are literally square headed! I 
never saw anything as ox-like in my life before, and can't imagine 
where they were kept in Germany. Undoubtedly the Kaiser was 
raising them for slaughter, so I suppose it didn't matter much. 
I have had little chance to talk with them, but they certainly look 
simple, and not of the stock that could play an active part in the 
world's secret service. 

Things look hopeful for peace these days, it seems to me; in fact 
it is in the very air, and I am sure the differences in the German 
parUament are really significant of something conciliatory. It was 
only this last week I read the President's reply to the Papal note, 
and must take back what I wrote about it previously. The tone 
of it was far different to what I expected it would be, from the 
quotations made use of from it by the French press, which is still 
so hostile to the Vatican, and seemed to regard Wilson's reply as 
properly "insulant." It seemed, on the contrary, to me to be full 
of courtesy, and there is always something in his style, most im- 
pelling of admiration. 

You know, without my saying it, I hope, that I am well in every 
way, and so I trust no one worries about me. This ''repos" may 
last indefinitely, and perhaps we have seen as much of active 
warfare as is intended for this section. 

I am anxious to hear that some of these letters have reached you. 
Tell me when you write, if they come regularly and if they are 
always opened and much censored. 

You know my thoughts and my love are always with you, and 
my most earnest wish is "God bless you all." 

Your ever devoted 

Noel. 

P. S. — The welcome sun has come again in these last few days, so 
we are once more enjoying the mild autumn weather. 



46 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

October £3, 1917. 

DAILY ROUTINE 

Dearest Everyone: — 

Here is my day again for writing you, but this time I don't know 
what on earth I am going to tell you, for since last Tuesday nothing 
at all has happened and we are still in the same place with no 
apparent prospects of leaving it. Provided though that you know 
I am "off duty" and absolutely safe, and consequently do not 
worry about me, I am satisfied to stay here indej&nitely, but I 
hope you are not kept waiting for our mail as long as we are for 
yours. My last family letter from California was marked Septem- 
ber thirteenth; though written some days before, and those from 
the east no later than the seventeenth. One other stray letter of 
Sept. 20's post-mark in S. F. reached me a day or so ago and the 
only acknowledgment of my steamer letters that I have had from 
the west so far was from Mrs. Harrison, and that on Sept. 14. I 
do hope more than I can say that my letters, uninteresting as they 
may all be, are at least reaching their destination and I trust that 
none of the many I have been writing during the last month were 
on the ill-fated "Antilles." It would really be tragic to think how 
long some of them have been owed and now to meet that fate! 
Before I forget I want to tell you that were you ever to want to 
cable me I think the quickest way would be to Hottinguer, Paris 
— for if they are addressed to "Amerfield" they go through Eng- 
land and then to the American Expeditionary Forces, and it is liable 
to be two weeks before they reach me. Even as it is you 
will have to allow at least a week to have an answer and that is 
taking for granted the cables go right through, for it takes two 
days for mail to come to me from Paris and two more days before 
my answer could get back there to be wired. It makes me shudder 
when I think how far away I am from all of you, but then we must 
remember it could be worse. There are ambulance drivers in the 
Balkans, but there is no fear of my being sent there. I am told 
they have to wait three months for a letter. , 

There is really so little to tell you of this week's doings that I 
don't know what to write. Our day is as follows: Breakfast at 
seven; roll call, seven-thirty; then setting up, or Swedish Exercises, 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 47 

for a quarter of an hour (this last is a new institution of the last 
few days). The mail, if there is any, usually comes before nine. 
Lunch is at eleven-thirty and supper at five-thirty. If I am not 
assigned a particular task, I usually spend many hours in my room 
trying to write, and every evening after dinner, when it is at all 
fine, I go for a long walk and that is the time I spend entirely with 
you all, as it were. So, won't you, allowing for the difference in 
time (now eight hours later than California, and five hours later 
than the East), think of me between six and seven in the evening 
here? That will be shortly after ten in the morning in California — 
and then our thoughts will surely meet! I have had a few good 
walks to near-by towns, though the weather on the whole has been 
pretty wet and disagreeable. Sunday after Mass in one of the 
little villages, I managed to find a hot shower, which enabled me 
to have my first bath in a month. That surely was the event of 
the week! 

PEACE RUMORS 

The little farm house where I am staying continues to be as 
comfortable and friendly as ever, though most every night this 
week the kitchen (and consequently the nice fire) has been used 
to prepare the dinner of officers who were passing through the 
town and dined here. No doubt you have all heard at home the 
rumor, entirely unofficial of course, that the U. S. had made a 
proposition of peace to Germany through Switzerland, offering 
to pay herself for the rehabilitation of Belgium and Northern 
France (which Germany would evacuate, of course) if Germany 
would give back Alsace-Lorraine to France, and in the event of 
Germany wanting her colonies (Germany's) that she would pay 
England two billion for them. This would evidently do away 
with the question of indemnities, but I wonder how about Russia, 
Poland, Italy and the Balkans! 

HIS.MARRAINE 

The news of the great Zeppelin victory caused great excitement 
here on Sunday. For the last four days or so there has been almost 
incessant bombardment on the distant front. It can be heard 
from here and the Germans seem to be getting at this end all that 
they may be missing in Russia! 



48 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

Mademoiselle Robinne (Mme. Alexandre) of the Comedie 
Francaise has written offering to be my "Marraine," which is really 
a very great honor and pleased me very much. This week's mail 
brought, I forgot to tell you, packages from Miss Robson and 
Mile. Saligne, both containing the most acceptable knitted things 
for the winter (cap, helmet, sweater, and muffler), so you see I 
have not been so badly treated after all! The enclosed scraps 
might, I thought, interest you — I was so very delighted to hear of 
Alexandre receiving the crois de guerre without being wounded. 
"The harbinger of peace" seemed a cheering omen to me, and I 
thought that our little magazine might interest you. The poem 
which speaks of California and Russia "being doubtful" is really 
amusing, don't you think? 

Well, after all I have managed to write more than I expected 
when I started out, and I hope you aren't all too terribly bored. 
It was two months Sunday since my arrival in France and I must 
say they have not flown, and none of you need worry about my 
wanting to Unger here after peace is declared. 

My constant prayer is that you are all well, and I am hoping 
very soon to hear from you. 

Very best love always. 

Your ever devoted, 

Noel. 

P. S. — I hope nothing I have said would lead you to believe 
that I am unhappy or bored here. On the contrary I am very 
well and feel I will some day look back on these days as some of the 
very happiest of my life, for they have afforded me a wonderful 
lot of solitude in which to analyze my chaotic life, of the past three 
years in particular, and to make a number of resolutions that I 
hope I am going to keep. 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 49 

November 10, 1917. 

REFLECTIONS ON AN ABATTOIR 

Dearest Everyone: — 

From day to day we have been waiting for the"ordre de mouve- 
ments" but as yet it hasn't come and there is no indication as to 
when it will. The little house in which I am staying gets to feel 
more like home all the time and its owners are ever increasingly 
kind! 

My news seems to date from November first, All Saints Day, 
Fete de la Toussaint, when I asked permission to go to Mass at one 
of the nearby towns. It was accorded me, and so as to save 
gasoline, which is very scarce, I also went for the "ravitaillment" 
(provisions) for the section. This brought me to the "abattoir" 
or slaughter house — it was the first time I had ever been to one, 
and I feel I must tell you how perfectly terrible it is. I suppose 
this one was rather primitive, and perhaps a little more awful 
on that account, but the spirit of cruelty must be the same in all 
of them. Fortunately for me they were only killing beef that day 
(had I to see sheep, calves or pigs slaughtered, I don't know 
what I would have done), but the blood galore, the cruelty, in- 
difference and innate eflBiciency of the butchers is something I will 
never forget!! The terror and anguish of the poor beasts is an 
appalling spectacle — almost worse than any of the war scenes 
that I have witnessed — there is something so hopelessly inevitable 
about it — and I am certain that the germs of war and of capital 
punishment are incubated in slaughter houses. I am sure after 
all this discourse you are not surprised to hear that I decided on 
the spot to become a vegetarian, and have not touched meat since. 
An entirely new love for Carmel welled up in my heart, when I 
thought that they, at least by their demands, do not countenance 
this shocking institution. It gave me a reverence, too, for Theoso- 
phists, who out of an ideal appreciation of the psychological result 
of slaughter houses on the men who work in them, renounce the 
eating of meat. Some day I am sure the world will realize how this 
custom has retarded its progress, spiritually I mean (I am con- 
vinced it has bred a race of warriors), and will organize a sort of 
prohibition, as it already has against alcohol. What could be 



50 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

more appropriate, than that such a movement should start in the 
city of Saint Francis, who, himself, so loved animals, and must 
undoubtedly have deplored their destruction? 

As you may imagine I came back to the cantonment full of my 
horror (it is still great but then it was fresh), and I felt very proud 
that the meat I carried back was hardly touched, after the section 
had heard all I had to say on the subject. It really seemed like a 
triumph in art, to take away their appetities by a word picture, 
but as all of them have now resumed their former attitude, it may 
just have been that the meat was unpalatable that particular day. 
I am sure there is a reason back of the fact that the troops at the 
front are given all the beef they can possibly eat, just as there is 
back of the custom of giving them a brimming glass of rum before 
they make a bayonet charge. 

In connection with all this I must add that I haven't missed 
meat at all. We have a new and excellent cook who formerly kept 
a restaurant in Bordeaux, the city of epicures, and he takes very 
good care of us. 

VESPERS OF THE DEAD 

All Saints day was really very wonderful here. At three o'clock 
Monsieur le Cure came from a nearby town for the vespers of the 
dead, and people who never go near a church at any other time 
were there that day for the memorial service for the departed. 
Reverence for the dead is inherent in the French, and were anyone 
to doubt it, he would only have to have witnessed the changed and 
recollected attitude of everyone those days, when mourning was 
donned even by those few who had not sustained any recent losses. 
After Vespers the bells in every church throughout this valley 
(and there are many) started in to toll, and did not cease until late 
at night — and, as a sort of mocking accompaniment to them,the 
cannon on the distant front kept up an intermittent bombardment. 
How strange life is — nothing is ever completely beautiful or com- 
pletely vile! (No, I don't mean that either, I was forgetting the 
slaughter house which has no redeeming feature.) 

All Souls Day was much the same as All Saints. I was able to 
attend Mass again at a nearer town to which I walked. It was 
offered for Mother, and perhaps it was she who made it possible 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 51 

for me to go for twenty-four hours in Paris. For weeks I had been 
longing and praying to go there, but I had no particular reason 
which I could state in making the request, and the fabrication of 
an excuse seemed futile. Can you picture my emotion when our 
sergeant asked me out of a clear sky, if I would like to go, adding 
that he thought he could arrange it for me? I had to ask the 
Lieutenant myself, which I did at military tension though inwardly 
feeling as I would had I ever been obliged to borrow money. I 
simply said that there was a number of matters I would like to 
attend to and that I didn't want to take up his time enumerating 
them, whereupon he at once signed the order for me to leave for 
Paris on the morning of the third returning here on the fifth. 

THE LURE OF PARIS 

Only a child going home for the holidays knows how I felt. It 
was a foretaste of the sensation of knowing that peace has come 
and that we are to be mustered out of the army and sent home! 
Needless to say I didn't sleep a wink, nor did my "patron" or 
"patronne" who were quite as excited as I was. Paris to them 
seems much farther away from here than Calcutta would to us in 
San Francisco, and so they gave me a great send-off, bringing me 
hot water (an unheard of thing) at five-thirty A. M. for shaving. 
I left here shortly after seven and didn't reach Paris until con- 
siderably after noon, when I immediately saw to the many com- 
missions with which I had been entrusted. I won't bore you with 
the details of those days which as you may imagine flew by, for 
I am always quite ashamed to find how quickly I am able to forget 
the wounded and the men in the trenches when I find myself in 
"la cite de joie." I saw many of my friends lunching at the 
"Marlborough" and "Ritz," dining at the Cafe de Paris and 
"Boeuf a la mode" and taking tea on each of the afternoons at the 
cafe de la Paix and "Tipperary" (a new and very fashionable tea 
house). My beloved Opera Comique welcomed me once more, 
and I heard superb performances of "Werther" and "Cavalleria 
Rusticana" there, which brought back three years ago most 
vividly. Then too, I went again to the Comedie Francaise — 
such blessed memories — and saw there a very wonderful war play 
by Bernstein, called "L'Elevation" which shows a few isolated 



52 PERSONAL LETTERS OF 

cases of people who have developed spiritually through the war. 
It was superbly done, and the first scene, in which you get the 
impression through a one-sided conversation at the telephone, 
that there is a world-wide tension, such as there was on August 
first, 1914, and that war is imminent, is one of the greatest pieces 
of acting I have ever seen. Of course the whole thing is too "vecu" 
and too much of our time to be anything but ghastly, and I assure 
you the audience was noisy with sobs throughout the greater part 
of the performance. While in Paris I also had the joy of getting 
to a piano once more, and being able to sing a bit with the accom- 
panist (Mile, de Boisval) I had when there three years ago. 
There is much else that I would love to tell you of stories I heard 
while there and a lot of other things but I think I had better let 
this letter go now and write you again on my usual day next 
week. 

While in Paris I stopped at a little hotel near the Etoile, and 
Monday morning at eight o'clock I was at the Gare de L'Est wait- 
ing to take my train. 

As you may imagine it has not been easy to resume life here, 
but I have tried to remember how ungrateful it would be to appear 
but cheerful, and have succeeded pretty well I think. I had much 
news of one sort or another with which to entertain the section, 
and in addition to this I brought back French pastry for all of 
them, the result being that they are clamoring for me to be 
sent to Paris again. I also brought a cake to my dear old land- 
lady who is expecting her son back from the front any day, and 
it is being kept for consumption along with "the fatted calf" 
which is to be killed "des son arrivee." 

We have had a second pay day this last week, and our canton- 
ment (where we eat), which used to be in a tent has now been 
changed to quite a comfortable house. These are about the only 
items of news that I can think of — my own life goes on just the 
same as ever and I am still answering my letters. Many have come 
from America recently and it is needless to tell you how unspeak- 
ably welcome they always are. I think probably Hottinguer 
No. 38 rue de Provence, Paris, is the best address after all. Letters 



REGINALD NOEL SULLIVAN 53 

from there seem to reach me the quickest and that is of course 
what I want. 

I hope all I have written about the Slaughter House doesn't 
upset you. I suppose in time I will forget it, and you may all yet 
see me devouring a beefsteak! (In that event, please don't remind 
me of this letter!) I don't feel of course that the individual accom- 
plishes much in denying himself meat — it only satisfies his ideal — 
and I think one should certainly begin by giving up the eating of 
meat as a practice first, before renouncing it entirely. I don't 
suppose either that the same thing applies to all meats. A chicken 
surely suffers less than something a hundred times its size. But 
though I am thankful that none of you were with me on November 
first, I am sure had you been, you would feel just as I do. Cows, 
you know, have always seemed to me to be the mothers of the whole 
world — they give us so much anyhow — that it was really too 
awful to see them after their lives of service, dying in a terrible 
convulsion, that man had brought on to satisfy his own appetite! 

I will say good-bye now — until very soon! There has been some 
talk of our going to Italy, but I don't possibly see how that could 
be until the U. S. declares war on Austria, and presume it was 
started by some one with "a sense of rumor." 

Loving you always superlatively, and more each day, 
Yours ever devoted, 

Noel. 

END. 



